The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.

- H. L. Mencken

Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so

-Bertrand Russell

What I have been telling you, from alpha to omega, what is the one great thing the sigil taught me — that everything in life is miraculous. For the sigil taught me that it rests within the power of each of us to awaken at will from a dragging nightmare of life made up of unimportant tasks and tedious useless little habits, to see life as it really is, and to rejoice in its exquisite wonderfulness. If the sigil were proved to be the top of a tomato-can, it would not alter that big fact, nor my fixed faith. No Harrowby, the common names we call things by do not matter — except to show how very dull we are ...

-James Branch Cabell

February 11, 2018 - 11:37 a.m.

Rock Lobster

Yesterday I did something I rarely do, I went out to lunch with friends on City Island. Friday was Jim's birthday, he and his wife Alice celebrated by going to their favorite restaurant, City Island Lobster House, and they invited me to join them. I love getting together with friends for no other reason than getting together with friends.

The plan was to meet them for lunch at the restaurant at noon. That's when I usually have breakfast. I considered eating breakfast when I first wake up and before going online and blogging so as to start my day with breakfast food. I finally realized that was stupid and instead decided to have breakfast for dinner. Most days I eat only two meals and a late snack.

City Island is small, and I live dead center, no place is not within walking distance. Even if I had a car I would never drive on the Island unless the weather was bad. The weather was threatening so I put on my trench coat and Irish twill had and walked. I miscalculated the time it would take and as I was about to walk in the door my phone rang. Jim wanted to know where I was; I was less than ten minutes late.

When I walked in the host walked over to me and said, "Follow me." I told him that I was meeting friends and he said, "I know who you are meeting, come this way." He was right. The Lobster House treat Jim and Alice the way an Italian restaurant treats a mafia boss, think Henry Hill going to the Copa in Goodfellas. It must be all about Alice, treating Jim with respect is just wrong. It's like treating me with respect. Alice and I spent the meal making fun of him. I should explain for those of you who don't know us. Jim is my work wife at WFUV. Everyone jokes that we treat each other like an old married couple. That makes Alice my sister-wife. Jim and Alice are what the Nields call Easy People.

The day before was Jim's birthday so until my birthday in July he's a year older than me so I get to call him old. Aubrey and I did the same thing since we were kids, he was also born in February but was younger than me. I guess that makes it a me thing not a Jim thing. I'm still a kid. Jim is too, just ask Alice. Who else started singing White Rabbit when you read that?

Guess what the specialty is at City Island Lobster House; you are so smart. I don't eat seafood. I ordered the barbecue platter, ribs and chicken. It was delicious. There was garlic bread, corn fritters, meatballs, and fried ravioli. It never struck me before but is one square a raviola? Word doesn't think so, but I bet it's right. Hey Allison, you'll know. Tell me in the Facebook comments. I like ravioli and love fried ravioli. What isn't made better by frying? The fritters are my favorite. For dessert they served us Reese's cup chocolate cake. The entire meal was heavenly as was the company, even Jim's. Don't tell him that. I don't want it to go to his head. I continued in their company for another 15 minutes. I had to head over to the mainland to pick up a prescription, so I took the bus with them. From there we parted ways.

I spent the rest of the day at home. I put on my calendar that HBO Go was premiering Wonder Woman. When I got home it wasn't offered. After doing some research I discovered that it wouldn't be on till the evening. I listened to music and watched my latest binge, Constantine. The character is going to be on the next two episodes of Legends of Tomorrow, and I wanted to be familiar with the character.

I'm an idiot. I'm seeing The End of America at First Acoustics today. I thought the show was at 5:30, it's at 2:30. I have to gulp down breakfast and leave. Good thing my phone told me.